Masteroffoxhounds finds his niche in San Marcos Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. - A distance race on firm turf has become the perfect niche for Masteroffoxhounds, the winner of Saturday’s Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita.

Masteroffoxhounds won an allowance race at 1 3/8 miles on turf by 4 1/4 lengths at Del Mar on Nov. 28, and his American stakes debut Saturday in the $200,500 San Marcos Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf by 1 1/4 lengths over 6-5 favorite Acclimate.

Masteroffoxhounds ($5.40) was timed in 2:01.39 in the San Marcos, benefiting from a stalking trip under jockey Joel Rosario. Masteroffoxhounds earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 94.

“I had a lot of confidence in the horse,” Rosario said. “He was going kind of easy.”

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Rosario had Masteroffoxhounds in second for the first mile behind Acclimate, who set a modest pace of 24.41 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 49.37 for a half-mile, leading by as many as 2 1/2 lengths.

Masteroffoxhounds, who stumbled at the start, challenged Acclimate in early stretch and took the lead in the final furlong. Masteroffoxhounds drifted to the inside in the final furlong when clear of Acclimate, who finished 1 1/2 lengths in front of 19-1 Starting Over.

“He looked around a little bit in the last part,” Rosario said. “I wanted to keep him focused.”

Salvator Mundi finished fourth, followed by Cleopatra’s Strike and Oscar Dominguez.

Masteroffoxhounds, owned by Gary Hartunian’s Rockingham Ranch, has won 3 of 9 starts and has earned $172,942 in a career that began in Ireland with noted trainer Jessica Harrington.

In Ireland, Masteroffoxhounds won a maiden race on good turf at Naas Racecourse in June 2020 and was later fifth of seven in the Group 3 Amethyst Stakes at a mile on soft turf at Leopardstown Racecourse last July. Masteroffoxhounds was later fourth and second in allowance races on good turf in July before being purchased by Hartunian and sent to trainer Richard Baltas in California.

“He wants the longer distances,” Baltas said. “He doesn’t have to be the pace of the race. He has a nice kick.”